Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (March 29, 1979)
TWO-The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday March 29, 1979 The Heppner GAZETTE-TIMES Why not charge for wheat what OPEC charges for oil? We enjoyed a Paul Harvey newscast the other day in which he outlined a plan that would do wonders for the United State's balance of trade deficit with oil exporting countries. The plan would also probably receive the support of Eastern Oregon farmers. Harvey suggested the U.S. which produces about half of the world supply of food grains form a cartel establishing the base price for a bushel of wheat. It wasn't too many years ago that wheat was $2 a bushel and a barrel of crude oil cost about the same. Then came along an energy crisis, oil embargo and formation of a Mid-East cartel that started the price of crude oil moving upward. This week OPEC announced that a barrel of crude oil would sell for $14.54 with surcharges to be added. In the same number of years wheat has climbed all the way to $3.60 a bushel give or take a few cents. Now if the U.S. and other food grain producing countries formed a cartel, when the oil exporting countries raised the price of crude, we would raise the price of a bushel of wheat. If they want $14.54 for a barrel of crude, we want $14.54 for a bushel of wheat. A barrel of oil for a bushel of wheat. Let them eat cake. Search for management firm is positive move by hospital board I Trishs BEAUTY SHOP . u - y.::-;4 K V mmm I , v' 1- ' i J f j---f "y)W; V v V ; We support the Pioneer Memor ial Hospital board with their recent devotion to solving the facility's problems specifically in searching out a management firm which offers all the services and expertise needed to make PMH a viable operation. The board has been meeting weekly with another session next Monday evening to sift through management proposals received from more than a half-dozen groups interested in Pioneer Memorial. Much needs to be done at the hospital including formation of a budget for the 1979-80 year but everything hinges on the manage ment plan selected by the hospital board whether it be one of the firms submitting a proposal or the existing administration. At any rate, the public can be pleased with the progress the Pioneer Memorial Hospital board is making. Lend support to city cleanup campaign this weekend Residents of Heppner are pitch ing in this weekend in an all-out effort to clean up the town both public and private property. If you haven't thought about it now would be a great time to plan your own clean-up campaign before this weekend. Trucks will be moving through zones in the city on Saturday and Sunday picking up tree limbs, rakings and other rubbish free of charge to all residents who pile it next to the curb. Columbia Basin Electric prom ised the company's chipper for the effort and all one has to do is call Karen Palmer at CBEC to notify crews where limbs are to be removed. In addition local stores retailing paint, fix-up items and lawn and garden supplies have their stocks in and specials running on many items this week. Join in making Heppner an attractive place to live. ..join in the Spring Clean-up this weekend. Morrow County Sheriff Larry Fetsch had his "watch dog" mmr 5 l , r 1 leashed to his patrol car door for a few ..linutes downtown IfXan 8 neSl irient this week. Asked if the pup was a new recruit for the department Fetsch said the dog would be used for watching "birds" next fall pheasants and chuckars, not jailbirds. Fossil member of State Wildlife Commission disputes reorganization SALEM A farmer on the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission doesn't think much of legislation to change the make-up of the commis sion and guarantee spots for two farmers. "Being a farmer doesn't qualify you to be on the Fish and Wildlife Commission," said Commissioner Jack Stei wer. who is a farmer near Fossil. He joined about 50 sportsmen who argued against a bill to change the geographic representation on the state commission last week. Steiwer said if farmers were guaranteed spots on the com mission, then other industries would also demand special representation. Steiwer's testimony drew applause from a crowd of more than 100 sportsmen who crammed into the hearing room to listen to testimony on House Bill 2416. Currently the Fish and Wildlife Commission consists of one person from each of the state's four Congressional Districts. One person from the west of the Cascades, one person from east of the mountains and one from the state at large. The proposed bill, intro duced by Rep. Denny Jones, R-Ontario. would provide for one commissioner from each of the state's six game management units designated by the Fish and Wildlife Department. The seventh member would be at large. The bill also stipulates that at least two members "must be directly involved in agri cultural production." That provision drew the most criticism from last week's crowd. Opponents said it is aimed at special interests in the agriculture industry and they argued that the quality of individual commissioners is more important. But Jones said sportsmen were ignoring the role played by farmers and ranchers in game management. "You are not remembering who provides feed for the animals, and your access to hunt them," he said. Jones said landowners con tribute between 55 and 60 per cent of the feed for big game animals in Oregon. The present Fish and Wild life Commission has four members from the Portland metropolitan area. The terms of two of the commissioners expire in July and opponents of the bill to change the representation on the commission said Gov. Vic Atiyeh would appoint new members to balance represen tation on the body. Atiyeh allocates $40 million to finance road repair SALEM Responding to pressure for more money to fix Oregon's deteriorating roads. Gov. Vic Atiyeh announced a $40 million road repair program without dipping into the surplus promised the taxpayers. The governor wants $170 million in surplus general funds to be refunded to income tax payers. However, the poor condition of the state's roads has inspired some legislators to question whether that surplus would be better spent patching pot holes. Atiyeh stuck to his promise and still supports giving that money back. But he found more money for the state's roads. The $40 million will come from increased revenues and revised estimates of available highway resources. It includes $17 million from the general fund, $11.8 million expected from rate increases now being considered by the Legislature, and $10.4 million from revised highway fund resource estimates. The additional $40 million will add about $30 million to the state highway fund, $5.7 million to counties and $3.5 million to cities. A State Transportation Department report said that more than half of the state road system, 4.400 miles of pavement, shows moderate to extreme deterioration. Atiyeh's boost to the highway fund will repair an additional 110 miles for a total of 250 miles. It costs an estimated $200,000 a mile to reconstruct badly damaged roads. About $8 million will be added to the maintenance budget to hold together moderately damaged roads with potholes patching and other surface repairs. The money set aside for counties and cities is enough to repair, an estimated 46 miles. How the money is spent will be left up to local governments. Atiyeh said that in addition to the $40 million, he would commit any future increases in surplus funds or General Fund reversions to fixing the roads. "This is an investment we must protect," he said. But he emphasized that he would continue to support the return of the $170 million as a direct taxpayer rebate. "This money was paid by taxpayers ONPA Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow The Heppner GAZETTE-TIMES Morrow County's Award-Winning Weekly Newspaper U.S.P.S. 240-420 Published every Thursday and entered at second-class matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon under the Act of March 3, 1879. Second-class postage paid at Heppner, Oregon SUBSCRIPTION RATE J8.00 In Morrow, Unatilla, Wheeler & Gilliam County; $10.00 elsewhere GM Reed, Publisher Terry M. Hager, General Manager Eileen Saling, Office Manager Melissa Scott, Composition Justine Weatherford, Locol Columnist Delores Reed, Co-publisher Rick Steelhommer, News Editor Gayle Rush, Composition Cindi Doherty, AdvertisingOffice Ron Jordan, Printer Public Officials U.S. Sen. Mark O. Hatfield Husscll Somite Olhi'e Bldn . Wiishinxlon. DC. aij mi. Member of Appropriations Commillee. Interior Committee. Kules Com mitlee. ;ind Indian Policy Review Commis sion Portland office. Pioneer Courthouse. Km. in:. Mil S Morrison. Portland. Ore. !72(H. phone 2Ll-:i:!Kii U.S. Sen. Bob Packwood Dirksen Senate Office Bldg.. Washington. DC. 2115111. Member of Finance Committee and Commerce Committee. Portland office, nxrj VK. Holladay. Km. 7ik (P.O. Box .1621 1. Portland. Ore. 9720. phone 233-4471 . U.S. Rep. Al UUman, Of The Second District House Office Bldg.. Washington. D.C. 20515. Member of Ways and Means Commit tee. Salem office. 530 Center St .Rm 330 (P.O. Box 247i. Salem. Ore. 97308. phone 399-5724. Gov. Vic Atiyeh Stale Capitol. Salem. Ore. 97310. phone 378-3100. State Sen. Ken Jernstedt i Morrow, (iilliam and other counties). Si ale Capitol. Km. S317. Salem. Ore. 97310, phone 378-K.ln. State Sen. Robert Smith (Wheeler. Grant and other counties) Stale Capitol. Km. S323. Salem. Ore. 97310 phone 378-8 17(i. State Rep. Bill Bellamy i Morrow. Gilliam and other counties). State Capitol, Km. H364. Salem. Ore. 97310. phone 378-8853. State Rep. Max Simpson (Wheeler. Grant and other counties). Stale Capitol. Rm. H481. Salem. Ore. 97310, phone 378-8789. Persons wanting information on bills, hearings, and other doings of the Oregon Legislature may call, toll-free, 1-800-452-0290 because of the heated up economy," he said. "It should not be used for anything except a rebate." Under the House tax plan, now being reviewed by the Senate Revenue Commit tee, only $100 million is set aside for direct tax rebates. The Senate Transportation Committee is touring the state this month, listening to tales of road problems in different parts of the state. The committee will also be listening to hear how taxpayers want to fix those roads. Several proposals are being consider ed in the Legislature this session including new gasoline taxes which would be tied increases in inflation, increased rates and fees for highway users, and a proposed constitutional amendment to shift funding for state police and other agencies out of the highway fund to the state general fund. CLASSIFIEDS WORK FOR YOU 676-9228 Sifting through the TIMES Work on the Willow Creek Market Road moved into full swing 50 years ago this week, with county road crews placing a bed of crushed rock from Heppner to the forks of Willow Creek. According to the Gazette-Times, "Heppner people, as well as the residents along Willow Creek, will rejoice to have this road put in shape, and should the means be available, they will rejoice further when it is completed to the timber." Heppner's American Legion post, suffering financial troubles, announced that it was considering not opening the Legion's swimming tank for the summer of '29. The swimming tank, built by the Legion, had not become financially self-sustaining, as hoped. Heppner's Patron-Teacher Association indicated it was interested in lending support to keep the tank open to youthful swimmers. Heppner City Police, disgruntled over the public's lack of compliance with the town's newly installed stop signs, bought public notice space in the Gazette-Times 50 years ago to complain about the situation. Many motorists took the signs "to be a joke, and pay no attention to them," according to the public notice. "From now on, anyone passing them up will be given a tag and sent to the city recorder to explain. The signs say STOP, not slow down, so take warning." W.H. Padberg of Lexington was advertising for the return of two mules, "one black and one brown, each branded with Catholic cross on jaw." Heppner barber E.E. Clark traded his hair clippers for sheep shears a more lucrative proposition during this week in 1929. While the Heppner barber was up to his wrists in wool at a Cecil area sheep operation, Guy Cason of lone assumed temporary management of Clark's Barber Shop. Thirty years ago this week, members of the Heppner Church of Christ greeted their new pastor, Glenn Warner, who replaced retiring pastor John Runyon. Turner, Van Marter & Co. was selling a new, seven-room home in Heppner for the price of $4,500. During the same week in 1949, the county extension office reported that for some reason, "attendance from Morrow County was very poor at the Cricket Control Association meeting at the Vendome Hotel in Arlington." Twenty-five years ago this week, the Gazette-Times noted that the Oregonian's "Prep Patter" column had "compliment ed the lone High School basketball team for their personal appearance at the recent tournament in Salem." Oregonian writer Bob Swan had written that "teams at the A tournament still have to go some before out-classing the natty appearance lone presented in the B tourney in Salem. The lone club was really snappy in street attire of bright red letterman sweaters, white shirts, bow ties and finely pressed slacks." Patti Healy and Larry Pettyjohn were in the news 10 years ago this week, when they were named winners of the Heppner Elks' scholarship award. During the same week in 1969, Marianne Pettyjohn of lone was named queen of the Arlington Rodeo, and Heppner's Becky Fulleton was named to the Spray Rodeo court. Five years ago this week, Reo Russell of Lexington was reunited with his son, Ronald, for the first time in more than 25 years. Both Russells were unaware of the other's whereabouts, following the elder Russell's divorce in 1949. Ronald was placed in his mother's custody following the divorce, and was told in subsequent years only that his father's name was Reo, and that he might be living somewhere in Oregon . Ronald and his mother had moved to California. Reo, aware that his ex -wife was living somewhere in California, wrote to California's then-governor Ronald Rea gan, seeking his aid in locating his son. Reagan's office located Ronald Russell in Sacramento, where he was working as a stock clerk in a hospital. Reo Russell then wrote to the address supplied by the governor's office, seeking a reunion with his son. When the younger Russell received the letter, he and his wife packed up their new baby and left immediately for Lexington. The reunion proved to be a happy one, with Ronald stating that he was consider ing moving to Lexington to get better acquainted with his father. ...have something to say? 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